Writing device



- Aug. 11, 1931. c. E. cowom 1,818,383

WRITING DEVICE Filed Nov. 12. 1929 Fig.1! I

Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE CHARLES ERNEST cownnv, or PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR TO cownm COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF OREGON WRITING DEVICE i Application filed November 12, 1929.- seam. 406,694.

My invention relates to tables generally, but particularly to card tables, wherein is incorporated a recording device comprising a platen and a partly overlapping frame whose upper face is made flush with the tabletop and which is combined with means for feeding, little by little, in either direction, a strip of paper from a source of paper supply provided below the surface of the table.

A broad object of my invention is to provide in any table-top or desk a device that will be available when needed for the making thereon of any entry in writing, but which presents no obstruction at any time to the free gse of the table-top for the purpose intended or it.

The nature of my invention, asabove described, lends-to it a utility whencombined with any oflice desk or table-top, but it has a special value in card tables as providing an ever ready but unobstructive, renewable means for keeping score of any game while it is being played thereon.

What constitutes my invention will be hereinafter described in detail and succinctly defined in the appended claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, which constitute a portion of this specification,

Figure I is a longitudinal vertical section of a preferred form,'of myrecording device, set in a table-topfiush with the upper surface thereof, aportion only of the table-top being shown, and the recording device being shown ,as provided with a substantially full paper p yo Figure II is a top plan view of the recording device shown in Figure I, detached from the table-top.

Figure III is a secti of FigureI. V I

Figure IV'is a perspective view, looking from above obliquely downward upon the top of a folding card table which is presented as an example of any ordinary or preferred type of its class, but comprising, in one corner of it, for example, the recording device shown in the preceding figures. 1 4 7 Referring to the numerals on the drawings, .lindicates a table-top, that term being used 50 inthe broad sense to designate any sort of a on on the line IIIIII horizontal supporting member superposed aboveafloor,

An opening inthe top 1 is made to accommodate within it an assemblageof members constituting a recording device which comprehends a horizontal frame-top Q that fits snugly within a shallow recess 3 provided for it in the top abo t said opening, and whose upper surface is flush with the surrounding surface of the top.

The frame-top 2 is shown in plan view complete in Figure II. Attached thereto, on its under side and spaced apart therefrom a sufiicient distance to accommodate with slip fit,

a strip 4 of paper of suitabledimensions, 1s a platen 5 whose entire area is encompassed by the frame-top 2 which covers it .in part, and which marginally overlaps the opposite sides of the platen. At one end of said frametop the platen is provided actuallyor in effect, by a shaping ofthe tabletop, with an up; turned curved lip 6 which isformed so as to present no obstruction to the movement, back and forth in either direction, of the strip 4 within the space defined between the frame.- top 2 and the platen 5. v

y The edgeof the lip 6 might end flush with the face of the frame-top 2, but I prefer to provide, as a finish forit, a horizontalexten sion 7 that is made and set in'the table-top flush with the top of the frame-top 2 as well as with the upper surface of the table-top 1, as is clearly illustrated in plan in Figure I. The frame tOp 2 is preferably provided with two fixed depending parallel side plates 9, each having a downward extension plate 10 for the joint accommodation in alined bearing apertures of' a rotative shaft 11, upon which the strip 4 is rolled so as to constitute a convenient source of paper supply that will vbe, subjectto replacement, adequate for requirements from time to time. At one end 12, the shaft 11 maybe of reduced diameter in order to provide at that end a longitudinally limited bearing that is adapted to rotate within the bearing aperture in one of the plates 10. A bearing aperture of capacity to take in the full diameter of the shaft 11 may be provided in the other plate 10. The shaft 11 may be rotatably heldin place by a resil- 105 ient keeper 14, fastened to the side of the last named plate as indicated at 15.

Parallel to the shaft 11 is a rod 17 secured at its opposite ends in the plates 9, so that it may serve as a pivotal support for one end of a brake piece 18 that is suspended-from it.

Its free end, which is preferably curved, makes yielding contact with the cylindrical periphery'of the roll 19 into which form the excess length of the strip of paper 4t is wound.

The purpose of the brake action of the member 18 is to provide means for holding the roll 19 yieldingly in a normal position, whereby it may permit motion of the strip 4:- under tension upon it in onedirection, but will remain stationary if that tension is re= leasedby movement of the strip 4; in the opposite direction. I

The member" 18 is, for the purpose specified, spring actuated as by a wire frame 20 having a cross-over intermediate loop 21, and projecting terminals 22. A resilient action isimp'arted: to the loop 21 against the brake piece 18 by aid of spring coils 23 and formed about the rod 17. The spring tension' of said" coils is caused to be exerted by the pressure of the terminals 22 against the bottom of the platen 5, on the one part, and, on the otherpart, by the pressure of the free end of the member 18 against the periphery of the roll 19'. The tension exerted by said coils increases slightly with increase of the diameter of the roll 19, but is operatively effective upon the roll until the strip of paper 4, of which it is constituted, is exhausted.

The pl'aten 5 is provided, preferablyby the bending of it at its intake end nearer the shaft 1 1', with a smooth horizontal guide piece 25 which facilitates the free movement of the paper strip 4 in either direction under pressure whenproperly applied by the thumb or fingerof an operator against such portion of its surface above the platen 5 as is exposed within the frame-top 2. At its outlet end the curved lip 6 of the platen 5, or its equivalent 'as'already indicated, facilitates thefree outletwithout its doubling'or bending, of the st'ri-pet. or I V J V The roll 19 and its supporting shaft 1 1 may be disposed at any suitable and. convenient place'underneath the tabletop 1, but, as specif ed, I prefer, for structural reasons, to provide for their accommodation upon members directly unitedto the frame-top 2. v

v In View of'the' foregoing specification, only the briefest additional description of the operation of my device is deemed tobe called for. In that regard, reference particularly to Figure I is invited v I H Assuming that the recording device and. its equipment are such as that therein shown, the sight of the paper strip 4: above the platen within the enclosure of the frame-top 2, maybe at any time utilized at will for manually recording on the strip 1 any memvertence. 'In such case the only remedy without waste of paper, is to provide safe and convenient means for returning the excess of paper to the protection afforded by the cooperative eifect of the platen 5 and the frametop 2. 7

What I claim is: 1. In combination with a table tophaving an opening therein, a frame substantially flush with the top surface of the table and extending inwardly into said'openin'g, arevoluble member beneath said frame, a strip ofpaper carried by said revoluble member, "a platen beneath said frame, the ends of the platen overlapping, the adjacent ends of the frame, saidstrip of paper arranged to pass between the frame and platen below the top surface of the table, andmeans for deflecting the paper upwardly at a point beyond the end of the frame.

2. In combination with a table top having an opening therein, a frame substantially flush with the top surface of the table and extending inwardly into said opening, a revoluble member beneath said frame, a strip of paper carried by said revoluble member, a platen beneath said frame, one end of the platen overlapping the adjacent end of the frame and the other end of the platen extending beyond the frame and deflecting upwardly to a point flush with the top of the table, said strip of paper arranged to pass between the frame and pl atenbelow the top surface of the table, and be defiectedupward- 1y at a point beyond the end of the frame.

3. The combination with a'table top having an opening therein, the top wall of the opening having a marginal recess,a frame fitting in said recess and extending into said opening, the upper surface of the frame being substantially flush with the table top, a platen beneath saidfframe member andextending into said opening and having'its sides overlapping the inner sides of the frame member, said platen having an intake end formed with a depending angularly disposed guide and an outlet end having an upward-1y off-set portion positioned beyond the adjacent end of the framemember,a transversely disposed shaft connectedto the frame member beneath said platen, and a paper strip roll carried by said shaft, said strip arranged to be directed to the intakeend of the platen and across the same beneath the frame member and directed upwardly at the outlet end of the platen, the inner marginal sides of the frame member acting as guides for the adj a,- cent portion of the paper as it passes across the platen.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES ERNEST COWDIN. 

